Grigg's three teams¶
When you talk to Grigg at the Rusty Tankard, he'll point you at three pre-built mercenary pairs. Each charges a small daily wage and fits a different class profile. Pick the team that covers your weakness, not the team that doubles your strength.
Wages
Wages are paid daily. The three teams are tiered cheap / mid / pricey relative to each other (Wrecking Crew cheapest, Old Guard most expensive). Specific values shift with economy balancing - talk to Grigg in-game for current rates.
The Wrecking Crew¶
"Twin half-orc brothers. One hits hard, the other shoots far. Loud."
Specialty: Damage / damage. Both brothers do kills. Neither is a tank, neither heals.
Members: Kash (melee) + Renn (ranged)
Daily wage: Cheapest of the three
Best fit for:
- :material-sparkles: Mage - they hold the front, you cast clean
- Ranger - three-ranged team is brutal at distance
- Herbalist - you stay back and brew, they kill
- Bard - Charisma supports, they execute
Avoid for:
- Warrior - you're already a Wrecking Crew of one
- Rogue - they're loud, you're sneaky; they break stealth
Where to hire: Rusty Tankard, talk to Grigg.
talk grigg
hire wrecking_crew
Shield & Sparks¶
"A dwarf paladin and a halfling tinkerer. Unbreakable and unpredictable."
Specialty: Tank + utility. Harn holds the line; Pip drops traps, opens locks, fixes gear.
Members: Harn (paladin tank) + Pip (tinkerer)
Daily wage: Mid - slightly more than Wrecking Crew
Best fit for:
- Rogue - Harn anchors aggro, Pip's traps cover your flanks
- Wanderer - covers your weak spots
- Monk - Harn complements your discipline; Pip patches your gear
- Tinkerer - Pip's a force-multiplier on your kit
Avoid for:
- Necromancer - Harn has opinions about your spellbook (he stays, but Trust tanks)
Where to hire: Rusty Tankard, talk to Grigg.
hire shield_and_sparks
The Old Guard¶
"Married veterans. He heals, she incinerates. They bicker about everything."
Specialty: Sustain + ranged burst. Hendrik heals; Maelis casts. Long fights only get better with them in the party.
Members: Hendrik (cleric/healer) + Maelis (fire mage)
Daily wage: Most expensive of the three - worth it
Best fit for:
- Warrior - Hendrik keeps you up; Maelis burns the back line
- Paladin - double the sustain, mage-friendly
- Cleric - double-cleric is a flex; lets you specialize into Battle Priest
- Bard - Hendrik's a chatty NPC; Maelis hates it
- :material-sparkles: Mage - Mage + Mage = burst
Avoid for:
- Necromancer - Maelis fights necromancers; do not bring her near your spirits
Where to hire: Rusty Tankard, talk to Grigg.
hire old_guard
On 'Aldous' vs 'Hendrik'
The merc id is merc_aldous but the display name is Hendrik
drift dating back to S192. If you see "Aldous" in any
user-facing prose, that's a leaked id (file a bug). His wife is
Maelis.
Where do you actually go first?¶
Hire your team, then:
| Class | First destination | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Wanderer | Notice board | Easy quests, all classes |
| Warrior | Watchhouse | Town Guard rep + paid combat |
| Rogue | Shady NPCs at docks | Thieves Guild contacts |
| Ranger | Greenweald (south gate) | Forage + tracking + game |
| Scholar | Temple library | Bestiary scribing + lore |
| Bard | Tavern stage | Perform for tips + rumors |
| Herbalist | Greenweald + apothecary | Forage loop |
| Mage | Arcane Collegium | Trainer + spell library |
| Monk | Dojo / Temple chapel | Free sparring SP |
| Cleric | Temple of the Dawn | Trainer + hospice |
| Necromancer | Out of town (Darkhollow) | Don't cast in Ghelmyon |
| Tinkerer | Workshop / smithy | Workbench access |
| Paladin | Temple chapel-yard | Drills + trainer |
Bigger merc companies (later)¶
Beyond Grigg's trio, three large companies operate out of Ghelmyon:
- Iron Wolves - heavy fighters, expensive daily wage, high HP
- Shadow Hands - stealth/scouts, cheaper, may steal from your loot
- Pale Sisters - healers/support, rare, gated behind trusted (20+) company rep
These open up around mid-game. See the Companions overview when those articles ship.